Golf club for chipping and putting

Abstract

A golf club has a club head with a wedge face, a rounded sole, and a putting face located along a blade area between the wedge face and a front portion of the rounded sole. The putting face is located at a height above the crown of the rounded sole so that the putting face strikes a golf ball above the equator of the ball to impart top spin when putting. The wedge face preferably has a 90° loft. The club can be used for short chips by placing the hands forward of the club head to “de-loft” the wedge face, and chipping in an otherwise conventional manner. Also, the wedge face can be closed in order to hit high lob shots. A leading apex on the club head located at the intersection of the wedge face, the rounded sole, the toe of the club head, and the putting face points forward when the wedge face is closed to hit a high lob shot. The grooves on the wedge face are aligned to impart backspin when the wedge face is closed so that the leading apex is facing towards the target. The sole of the club head near the leading apex is designed to allow the leading apex to dig easily into the ground or sand without digging too deeply to create a chunk shot.

I claim:  
     
       1. A golf club for putting and chipping comprising: 
       a shaft;  
       a grip at a top end of the shaft; and  
       a club head comprising a hosel connected to a bottom end of the shaft, a wedge face, a sole, and a putting face located along a blade area between the wedge face and a front portion of the sole,  
       wherein the putting face is a planar surface area defined by an intersection with the wedge face along a straight line and an intersection with the sole along an arced line.  
     
     
       2. A golf club as recited in  claim 1  wherein the wedge face has a loft greater than 70° in relation to the shaft. 
     
     
       3. A golf club as recited in  claim 2  wherein the loft of the wedge face is substantially 90° in relation to the shaft. 
     
     
       4. A golf club as recited in  claim 1  wherein the sole is rounded, and a crown of the rounded sole is located closer to an outer portion of the putting face adjacent a toe of the club head than an inner portion of the putting face adjacent the hosel of the club head. 
     
     
       5. A golf club as recited in  claim 4  wherein the putting face is located at a height above the crown of the rounded sole such that the putting face strikes a conventional golf ball above the equator of the golf ball when a golfer putts the ball with the crown of the rounded sole in contact with a putting green. 
     
     
       6. A golf club as recited in  claim 1  wherein the sole further comprises a spade portion that is immediately adjacent a leading apex formed between an outer edge of the putting face and a toe of a club head, the spade portion forming a substantially triangular, slightly convex surface on the sole of the club immediately adjacent the apex. 
     
     
       7. A golf club as recited in  claim 6  wherein the wedge face includes an indicator mark immediately adjacent the leading apex, indicating the location of the leading apex between the putting face, the spade portion of the sole, and the toe of the club head. 
     
     
       8. A golf club as recited in  claim 6  wherein the angle of the spade portion of the sole with respect to the wedge face is within the range of about 30°-60°. 
     
     
       9. A golf club for putting and chipping as recited in  claim 6  wherein: 
       the wedge face contains grooves that extend into the wedge face and are arranged in a parallel fashion starting from the leading apex defined by the intersection of the putting face, the sole and the toe of the club head.  
     
     
       10. A golf club as recited in  claim 1  wherein the shaft is a steel shaft. 
     
     
       11. A golf club as recited in  claim 1  wherein an indicator line is located on the wedge face adjacent and parallel with the putting face in order to provide an indication of the direction in which the putting face is oriented. 
     
     
       12. A golf club comprising: 
       a shaft;  
       a grip at a top end of the shaft; and  
       a club head comprising a hosel connected to a bottom end of the shaft, a wedge face, a rounded sole, a rounded toe, a blade area between the wedge face and a front portion of the rounded sole, and wherein:  
       the club head includes a leading apex defined as the intersection between the blade portion, the wedge face, the rounded sole, and the rounded toe;  
       the rounded sole includes a crown and a spade portion which constitutes a substantially triangular and slightly convex surface extending from the crown of the rounded sole to the apex;  
       the wedge face has a loft greater than 70° in relation to the shaft; and  
       the wedge face contains grooves that extend into the wedge face and are arranged in parallel fashion starting from the leading apex and aligned perpendicular to the direction in which the leading apex is pointing.  
     
     
       13. A golf club as recited in  claim 12  wherein the loft of the wedge face is substantially 90° in relation to the shaft. 
     
     
       14. A golf club as recited in  claim 12  wherein the club further comprises a putting face located along the blade area between the wedge face and the front portion of the rounded sole. 
     
     
       15. A golf club as recited in  claim 12  wherein the angle of the spade portion of the rounded sole with respect to the wedge face is generally within the range of 30°-60°.